Wave motion actuated pump



June 26, 1962 D. U. sHAFFl-:R 3,040,667

WAVE MOTION ACTUATED PUMP Filed March 24, 1958 VIII/M VIII/1,11.

00A/ALD 0. SHA/Eff?,

United dtates 3,049,667 WAVE MOHN ACTUATED PUMP Donald U. Shader, 315 S. Fien/er, Brea, Calif. Filed Mar. 24, 195%, Ser. No. 723,2i5 lil Claims. (Cl. S-79) 'This invention` relates generally to pumping mechanisms and relates more particularly to wave actuated pumping apparatus.

While the invention has particular utility in connection with pumping oil from oil wells and the like, and is shown and described in such connection, it is to be understood that its utility is not confined thereto.

A recent development in the petroleum industry is the exploration for oil in formations underlying bodies ice ing a pair of support beams Ztl having their lower ends secured by any suitable means, not shown, to the top wall lli of the lloat adjacent the edge thereof and at diametrically opposite points. clined upwardly and inwardly and are joined at the apex 21. The upper ends of saidbearns at said apex are secured together by any suitable well-known means such as bolts, not shown, and there is a plate 22 which is seof water such as the ocean and the drilling of oil wells into such formations for the removal of oil `Irom subter-` ranean oil pockets or formations.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide eicient apparatus for pumping oil from such wells.

vIt is another object of the invention to provide apparatus of this character utilizing waves in the water as a source of inexpensive energy or power to effect the pumping operation.

It is still another object of the invention to provide apparatus of this character that will accommodate itself to variations in the tides of a body of water such as the ocean.

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus of this character that is simple in construction.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide apparatus of this character that is effective and efiicient in operation.

It is another object of 'the invention to provide ap.

that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. l is a diagrammatic side view of apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the tide compensating device of the present apparatus; and

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of the lower end of an oil well with a pump installed therein.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, Ithere is shown a oat, indicated generally at di), in a body of Water W, said float comprising an annular ring-like Water tight compartment i2, having upper and lower walls 14 and 15, and an annular peripheral wall i6, there being a central cylindrical wall defining an axial opening 18 through said float. While the float is shown herein as being annular in form, it is to be understood, of course, that it may have other shapes and the walls of the float may be of metal or any other suitable material. it is also to `be understood that the float may be a hull that is not necessarily air tight, the top wall being merely a protection which will prevent water washing over the float `from entering the interior of the hull.

A superstructure is provided and is shownv as compriscured to the apex part of said support beams by bolts 23 or the like. Plate 2,2 has a depending ear to which the upper-end of a piston rod 25 of a tide compensating device, indicated generally at 26, is pivotally secured by means ofa universal joint or swivel 27.

Device 26 is provided with a cylinder including a lower member 30 having an internally threaded upper end portion 39a and an upper member 33 having an externally threaded lower end portion 34 screwed into the internally threaded portion 30a. through the upper wall 35 of the upper cylinder member33 and there is provided a packing 36 which seals about the piston rod to prevent escape of pressure fluid therepast. Operable within the cylinder is a piston 31 which includes a cylindrical body portion 37 having an axial opening therethrough for reception of the externally threaded lower end portion 38 of the piston rod 2S. Nuts 39 and 40 on said threaded end portion 3d secure the piston 31 on the lower end of said rod Z5. The parts of the cylinder above and below the piston are iilled with oil or other suitable hydraulic fluid. Piston body 37 is provided with an external annular -groove il in which is disposed a sealing member 42 for sealing engagement with the inner wall of the cylinder. Piston body 37 is also provided with a bore 43 having a elower end wall 49 in which is a reduced diameter ported communicating with the cylinder at the under side of said piston. At the upper end of the bore 43 there is a ball valve 45 adapted to seat on the lower end of a .plug d6 which is externally threaded and screwed' into an internally threaded upper end socket 47 of said bore 43. Plug 46 has a -bore 46a controlled by the ball 45. A spring 4S reacts between the ball 45 and the lower end wall 49 of the bore 43. The valve arrangement comprises a check valve which permits fluid to pass downwardly through the piston but prevents upward flow of fluid through said piston.

The piston is provided with a second bore, 52 which has a wall 53 at the upper end in which is provided a port 54 of reduced diameter relative to said bore 52 and communicating with the cylinder at the upper end of the piston 3d. A ball valve member 55 is provided in the bore S2 and seats at the upper end of a plug 56 which is externally threaded and screwed into an internally threaded socket 57 at the lower end of said bore 52. Pilug 56 is provided with a passage 58 therethrough which the ball valve 55 normally closes, said valvebeing urged onto its seat by a spring ltitl which reacts between said valve 5S and the bottom wall 53 of the bore 52. This check valve permits fluid to pass upwardly through the bore 52 into the upper portion of the cylinder but prevents Ireverse tlow therethrough.

As the duid in the cylinder of the device 26 cornpletely filling the cylinder parts above and below the piston 3i is noncompressible and the check valves 45 and 55 are calibratedto remain closed under normal pressure conditions, described hereinafter, the piston 31 and cylinder of the device 26 will move together as a unit, but under higher pressures of a predetermined value, said valves Will open to permit relative movement between said cylinder and piston. The cylinder and piston arrangement 26, which comprises an adjustable connection, also includes a spring S which reacts between the piston 31 The beams 20 are in- Piston rod 25 extends*V urges the latter upwardly relative to said piston. Spring S is of such strength as to counterbalance the weight of the means connecting the piston 72 ofthe well pump with the cylinder 30, 33, of the adjustable connectlon 26 and the column `of oil below the piston. Y

The lioat mechanism is centered above a well 65 in an underwater formation 66 and having a wellheadp indicated generally at 67'. Within the casing 6g of the` well and adjacent the lower end thereof there is a pump, indicated generally at 70. In view of the fact that the pump may be of any suitable well-known type, said pump is shown diagrammatically vand with only certain of the operable parts thereof. There is a tubular barrel 71 in which is operably disposed a pumping piston 72. The pump includes a check valve 73 within the barrel 71 anda check valve 74 in the plunger.V At the lower end of the barrel 71 there is a lock hold down mandrel V75 locked in a lock hold down shoe 76 which is secured to the lower end of the casing 68 by means of a tubing coupling `77. The upper end ofthe piston is provided with a piston rod 79 connected to the usual sucker rod strings() by any suitable means such as the coupling rod 81. The npperend of the sucker rod string S 1s connected to the lower end of the cylinder of the tide compensating device 26. Any suitable means may be provided for this connection such as, for example, an 1nternally threaded socket, not shown, in an external boss 83 on the lower end wall 84 of the compensating device cylinder, and an externally threaded upper end portion 85 of said sucker rod string.' The sucker rod string 80 passes upwardly through the wellhead and is provided with the usual packing means, indicated generally at 86, said wellhead having the usual outlets 87 and 88.

The packing nut 96 of the packing means 86 is provided l Y with a generally O-shaped frame 91 having side arms 92 and closed at the top by a ycross member 93 having an opening 94 therein through which the rod string 80 is loosely received so that said rod may freely move upwardly and downwardly limited, however, by engagement of the upper member 93 of the frame 91 by a collar 96 secured to the sucker, rod string 80 and engagement by said collar with the upper end 97 of said nut 9i) carrying said frame. The maximum operating stroke of the pump is 'therefore limited by the above described engagement of the collar 96 with the members 93 and 97 of the frame although the normal range of the operating stroke generally will be less than the maximum stroke permitted by the above described limiting means.

In operation of the mechanism, oil is raised by the piston 72 of the well pump when the float rises and said piston is moved downwardly by the weight ofrthe suckery rod and associated parts when the float moves downwardly. It is to be noted that while a sucker rod string 80 is used to connect the piston with the adjustable connection t26, a cable may also be used, particularly from a point above the wellhead to said adjustable connection 26. It is also to be noted that the cylinder may be connected to the super structure and the piston rod connected to the sucker rod string or cable.

AIn order to compensate for Variations in the height of the tide, the cylinder of the compensating device 26 is substantially longer lthan the operating stroke of the j pump. When the device is operating at substantially and 55 will remain closed. However, as the tide begins to rise, the sucker rod string 881' will be pulled upwardly to a point whereat the collar 96 will engage the upperv end member 93 of'the frame 91 when the upper end of a pumping stroke is reached. Upon such engagement of the collar 96 with member 93, additional upward pressure will be exerted by the rising float and the pressure in/the upper end of the cylinder, above the piston '31, will increase sufficiently to cause the check valve 45 e to open and permit ilow of fluid downwardly through said piston into the lower portion of the cylinder and at the Same time per-mit said piston to move upwardly in the cylinder. This action will continue as long as the tide rises. After high tide, the iioat will move downwardly with the dropping of the tide and as the pumping action continues, the collar 96 will engage the lower end of the frame V91 whereupon the spring S will be relieved of the weight of the connecting means (sucker rod string Btl), so that said spring S will be effective to exert suiicient force between the piston 31 and cylinder 34), 33 to efect opening of the check valve and move the cylinder upwardly relative to the piston untilV the weight of said connecting means betweenrthe well pumping piston 72 and the cylinder Sti, 33 is taken Vby Said spring S and normal pumping conditions established, whereupon the valve closes and the piston 3l and cylinder 30, 33 move together in the newly adjusted relationship.

The oat is held against drifting or displacement relative to the well by any suitable means such as, for

example, the Vbuoys 160 which are secured to the float beams 2G bylmeans of cables lill and to any Well-known anchor means, not shown, by means of cables 102. The

. buoys may be distributed about the iioat in any suitable manner to retain samein substantially one spot but there is sufcient slack in the anchoring means to permit the tloat to rise and fall with the tide as well as with the waves.

Itis thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is thought that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the embodiment hereinbefore described being merely for the purposes of illustration.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for pumping fluid from a wellhaving a pump therein with a reciprocating pumping piston, comprising: an annular ioat having a central opening thereclosed Yat the bottom and having an upper end wall with an axial opening therein, a piston rod operably disposed 1n said axial opening and extending into the cylinder; a piston secured to the inner end of said rod and operably disposed in said cylinder, said piston having a pair of passages therethroughV from one end to the other; a check valve in one of said passages permitting fluid flow from the upper to the lower side of said piston but preventing uid iiow in the opposite direction; a check valve controlling the other of said piston passages, permitting uid flow from the lower side of said piston to the upper side but`preventing fluid flow in the opposite direction; liquid iilling the cylinder portions at each side of said piston; means operably securing the upper end of the piston rod to the super structure at the apex thereof; a sucker rod having the upper end thereof lsecured to the lower end ofthe cylinder and extending downwardly into the well and having the-lower end thereof connected with the pump piston; a wellhead; packing means -for sealing about said suckerrod to prevent escape of fluid therepast; means secured to the wellhead -for limiting the reciprocating stroke of the sucker rod both upwardly and downwardly; a spring reacting between the iirst mentioned piston and the upper endof said cylinder and substantially counterbalancing the weight of the sucker rods and liquid in said cylinder; and means for anchoring said float above the wellhead while permitting said oat to rise and fall with the tide.

2. Apparatus for pumping fluid from a well having a pump therein withva reciprocating pumping piston, comprising: a oat having an opening therethrough; a super structure for said oat having a part disposed over said opening in the oat and in upwardly spaced relation thereto; adjustable means including a relatively long cylinder closed at the bottom and having an upper end wall with an axial opening therein, a piston rod operably disposed in said axial opening and extending into the cylinder; a piston secured to the inner end of said rod and operably 'disposed in said cylinder, said piston having a pair of passages therethrough from one end to the other; a check valve in one of said passages permitting uid flow from the upper to the lower side of said piston but preventing iiuid ow in the opposite direction; a check valve controlling the other of said piston passages, permitting Huid ow from the lower side of said piston to the upper side but preventinguid flow in the opposite direction; liquid llingthe cylinder portions at each side of said piston; means operably securing the upper end of the piston rod to the part of the super structure disposed over said openi ing; a sucker rod string having the upper end thereof secured to the lower end of the cylinder and extending downwardly into the well and having the lower end thereof connected with the pump piston; a wellhead; packing means for sealing about said sucker rod to prevent escape of uid therepast; a spring reacting between the rst mentioned piston and the upper endof said cylinder and substantially counterbalancing the weight of the sucker rods `and liquid in said cylinder; and means secured to the wellhead for hunting the reciprocating stroke of the sucker rod lboth upwardly and downwardly.

3. Apparatus for pumping fluid from a well having a pump therein with a reciprocating pumping piston comprising: a oat; a super structure for said iloat; adjustable connecting means including a relatively long cylinder closed at the -bottom and having an upper end wall with an axial opening therein, a piston rod operably disposed in said axial opening and extending into the cylinder, the upper end of said piston rod being connected to said super structure; a piston secured to the inner end of said rod and operably disposed in said cylinder, said piston having a pair of passages therethrough from one end to the other; a check valve in one of said passages permitting uid ow from the upper to the lower side of said piston but preventing fluid ow in the opposite direction; a check valve controlling the other of said piston passages, permitting uid ow from the lower side of said piston to the upper side but preventing fluid flow in the opposite direction; liquid lling the cylinder portions at each side of said piston; a sucker rod string having the upper end thereof secured to the lower end of the cylinder and extending downwardly into the well and having the lower end thereof connected with the pump piston; yielding means in -said adjustable connecting means counterbalancing the weight of said sucker rod string; and means for limiting the reciprocating stroke of the sucker rod both upwardly and downwardly.

4. In apparatus for pumping uid from a well having a pump therein with a reciprocating pumping piston: a float; a relatively long cylinder closed at the bottom and having an upper end wall with an axial opening therein, a piston rod operably disposed in said axial opening and extending into the cylinder, the upper end of said piston rod being operably connected to said oat; a piston secured to the inner end of said rod and operably disposed in said cylinder, said piston having a pair of passages therethrough from one end to the other; a check valve in one of said passages permitting fluid ilow from the upper to the lower side of said piston but preventing uid ow in the opposite direction; a check valve controlling the other of said piston passages, permitting uid flow 6Y l t from the lower side of said piston to the upper side but preventing tluid kflow in the opposite direction; liquid lling the cylinder portions at each side of said piston;

connecting means having the upper end thereof secured to the lower end of the cylinder and havingY the lower end thereof connected with the pump piston; yielding means counterbalancing the weight of said connecting means; and means for limiting the reciprocating stroke'of the rod and pump piston both upwardly and downwardly. c

5. In apparatus for pumping uid from a well having a pump therein with a reciprocating pumping piston: a float; a cylinder closed at the bottom and having an upper end -Wall with an axial opening therein, apiston rod operably disposed in said axialopeningand extending into the cylinder, the upper end of said piston rod beingoperably connected to said float, a piston secured to the inner end of said rod and operably disposed'in said cylinder; means operable by duid pressure ofa predetermined value permitting fluid flow from the upper to the lower side of said piston but preventing fluid iiow in the opposite direction; means operable by iiuid pressure of a predetermined value permitting fluid ow from the lower side of said piston to the upper side but preventing flu-id flow in the opposite direction; liquid lling the cylinder portions at each side of said piston; connecting means having the upper end thereof secured to the lower end of the cylinder and having the lower end thereof connected with the pump piston; means substantially counterbalancing the Weight of said connecting means; and means for limiting the reciprocating stroke of said pump piston both upwardly and downwardly.

6. In apparatus for pumping fluid from a well having a pump therein with a reciprocating pumping piston: a float; an automatically adjustable operating connection between said oat and said pumping piston including a cylinder closed at the bottom and having an upper end wall with an axial opening therein; a piston rod operably disposed inv said axial opening and `extending into the cylinder, the upper end of said piston rod being connected to said oat; a piston secured to the inner end of said rod and operably disposed in said cylinder; means operable under fluid pressure of a predetermined value permitting fluid flow from the upper to the lower end of said piston but preventing fluid iow in the opposite direction; means operable under fluid pressure of a predetermined value permitting uid tlow from the lower end of said piston to the upper end but preventing uid flow in the opposite direction; liquid lling the cylinder portions at each end of said piston; and means for limiting the stroke of said piston in both directions.

7. The combination of a float, and a pump with an automatically adjustable connection between said iloat and pump, said connection including: a cylinder closed at one end and having a wall with an axial opening therein at the opposite end; a piston rod operably disposed in said axial opening and extending linto the cylinder; a piston secured to the inner end of said rod and operably disposed in said cylinder; liquid filling the cylinder portions at each end of said piston; means operable under pressure of a predetermined value permitting a transfer of fluid between the end portions of said cylinder at opposite ends of said piston; and means limiting the relative movement of said piston and cylinder.

8. In apparatus for pumping liuid from a well having a pump therein with a reciprocating pumping piston: a oat; an automatically adjustable operating connection between said oat and said pumping piston including a cylinder closed at one end and having a wall with an axial opening therein at the opposite end; a piston operably disposed in said cylinder; a piston rod connected to said piston and extending outwardly through said axial tween the portions of said cylinder at opposite ends of said piston under predetermined pressure conditions.

"9. In apparatus for'pumping lluid from ra Well Vhaving a pump therein with a reciprocating purr'ipingY piston, the combination of a iloat; an automatically adjustable operating connection between said iloat and said pumping piston including a cylinder; a piston operably disposed in said cylinder and having apiston rodV connected thereto; liquid filling the cylinder portions at each end of said piston; and means permitting transfer ofuid between sai portions under predetermined pressures.

10. The combination of a oat, and a pump with an automatically adjustable connection between said oat and pump, said connection including: a cylinder member closed at one end and having a Wall with an axial opening therein at the opposite end; Ya piston rod operably disposed in said axial opening and extending into the cylinder; a piston member secured to the inner end of said rod and operably disposed'in said cylinder member; liquid lling the cylinderl portions at each end of said piston 20 member, said cylinder and pistonfnormallymovable to- 8 gether asA al unit; means operable under pressure of a predetermined valueY permitting a transfer of fluid between the end portions of said cylinderV member at opposite ends of said piston member; and means limiting` the movement of one of said members to a predetermined range of movement.

References Cited in the le of this patent VUNITED STATES PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3,040,667 June 26, 1962 Donald U. Shaffer It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below. n

Column 8, line l-l, for "Datly" read Daily --5 line l2, for "Skirton" read Skirtun same column 8, line 2l, for "Apr, l5, 1958" read Apr. l5, 1953 Signed and sealed Ythis 20th day of November 1962o (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w. swlDER DAVID L. LADD Atte/Sting officer Commissioner of Patents 

